Charles rowland



(No Model.)

C. ROWLAND.

PLATE EoLDTNe LETTEE SHEET. No. 453,132.

Patented, May 26, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ROVLAND, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PLATE-FOLDING LETTER-SHEET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,132, dated May 26,1891.

i Application led August 27, 1889. Serial No. 322,094. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Se it known that I, CHARLES ROWLAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVashlngton, in the District of Columbia, have inventednewand useful Improvements in Plate- Folding Letter-Sheets, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel letter-envelopesheet Which can be folded and refolded on an approximately rigidbase-gage to produce a iiat rectilinear package suitable for mailinglike an ordinary letter, and wherein the base-gage is inclosed by thefolding and refolding of the sheet and the latter sealed upon itself toreceive the Written address.

To such end the invention consists in the letter-envelope sheethereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a vieW of the inner face ofmy improved plate-foldin g letter-sheet provided With the flat strip orbar. Fig. 2 is a view of the outer face of the same. Fig. 3 represents aportion of a letter-sheet provided with an attached dat and stiffenedstrip-plate or bar having projecting ends that are adapted to and willprotect the edges and corners of the letter-sheet from injury When thepacket is dropped into av mail-receptacle, said projecting ends of theplate, strip,v or bar being formed with shoulders that also serve asguides to keep the letter-sheet or paper evenly in place While beingfolded around the flat strip or bar. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of myimproved plate-folding lettersheet or packet prepared for mailing.

In carrying my invention into effect, I take a rectangular paper sheetA, of any suitable size for correspondence, bills, or statements -ofaccount, ttc., and permanently attach to one end thereof a iiat strip,plate, or bar B, composed of paper, card-board, cloth, wood veneer, orother suitable material adapted to form a sufficiently stiff base onwhich to smoothly roll or fold the letter-sheet after it has beenwritten on. The dat strip or barB extends entirely across one end of thelettersheet A, preferably the upper end .of said sheet, as shown, andits Width is such as to adapt it to serve as a gage for the Width of thepacket, which is formed by closely folding or rolling the letter-sheetaround said strip, plate, or bar. By extending the iiat strip or bar Bentirely across the sheet A, it stiitens the folded packet throughoutand prevents its edges from becoming curved or frayed. If desired, theiiat strip or bar B may be of greater length than the width of the sheetA, so as to extend at each end beyond the edges of said sheet, as shownin Figs. 3 and 4, the projecting ends of the strip or bar being thussomewhat better adapted to protect the ends and corners of the foldedpacket from tearing or becoming otherwise injured by handling or indropping the packet into a letterbox or other receptacleformail-matter.Such protection may be still further afforded by providing theprojecting ends of the stiffened plate, strip, or bar B with shouldersC, that also serve as guides to facilitate even, smooth,

and regular folding or rolling of the papersheet around said strip orbar. To prevent these projecting shoulders from catchinginto othermailmatter they may be slightly rounded at the corners. Besides serving`as a comparatively rigid and flat base or spool on which to fold or rollthe vattached lettersheet, the flat strip or bar B presents a surface onWhich a letter-heading, a bill-head, 0r appropriate advertising mattercan be displayed. The entire inner face of the letter-sheet A, above thelower-most folding-line D, Fig. 1, can be utilized for writing. AWriting-space is also afforded by the reverse face or back of theletter-sheet above the line E, Fig. 2, and also by both faces of theplate or strip B, if desired. The lineA D and the dotted or brokentransverse lines F, G, and II indicate the lines on Which theletter-sheet is folded along and against the opposite edges of the plateor strip. Of course thenumber of folds will depend on the relativeproportions of the letter-sheet and its attached plate or strip. Thelower end of the letter-sheet forms a selfsealing flap K, the inner faceof which is provided With adhesive material, and this flap may have aline of perforations L, through Which the sealed packet can be readilyopened without defacing the writing.

The sheet A and strip B can both be Written on above the lines D and E,and then the paper-sheet A is to be closely and evenly folded or rolledaround the plate or strip B IOO as a gage and secured by means oftheselfsealing flap. The lower exposed portion of the back of theletter-sheet serves, asin the ordinary envelope, for superscriptionattachment of postage-stamp, postmarking, &c. By making the plate orstrip B sufficiently rigid the packet when folded and sealed cannot besprung between the fingers, so as t0 render its Written contents visiblefrom the ends. If desired, these letter-sheets and attached strips orplates can be furnished in tablet form for use as required.

That I claim as my invention is- A folding and refolding letter-envelopesheet having,r at one extremity an adhesive CHARLES ROWLAND.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. NORRIS, JAMES A. RUTHERFORD.

